The Blessings of Acting upon the Sunnah

Ameer-e-Ahl-e-Sunnat, ‘Allamah Maulana Muhammad Ilyas Attar Qadiriدَامَـتْ بَـرَكَـاتُـهُـمُ الْـعَـالِـيَـهْ  mentions an incident on page 263 in volume 1 of his famous book, Faizan-e-Sunnat: ‘The eminent Hadees scholar, Sayyiduna Hudbah Bin Khalid رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه was invited to dinner by the Caliph of Baghdad, Mamoon Rasheed. After eating, he began to pick up the bits that had fallen and ate them. Astonished, Caliph Mamoon Rasheed said, ‘O Shaykh! Is your hunger still not satiated?’ He replied: ‘Of course it is. It is actually a matter of the Hadees that Sayyiduna Hammad Bin Salamah رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ mentioned to me, that whoever picks up the bits from the dining mat and eats them will become fearless of being dependent on another. (Ithaf, vol. 5, p. 597) I was acting upon this Hadees.’ Listening to this, Mamoon became really impressed and gave a signal to his servant who brought one thousand dinars wrapped up in a cloth. The Caliph of Baghdad, Mamoon gifted the dinars to Sayyiduna Hudbah Bin Khalid رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه as a gift. The latter said: ‘اَلْـحَمْـدُ لـِلّٰـه the blessing of acting upon a Hadees immediately became apparent.’’ (Samaraat-ul-Awraq, vol. 1, p. 8)

Be Grateful for Sustenance

Dear Islamic brothers, two important matters are learnt from the foregoing incident. The first is that picking up and eating the bits that have fallen onto the dining mat bring blessings to one’s sustenance and protects one from financial hardship. But, alas, nowadays we see a great deal of ungratefulness and dishonouring of food inside the home. After eating and drinking, some remnants of the food or drink are left in the dishes, which has perhaps become a part of table manners now. This is then disposed of as rubbish.

Expressing his grief at the ungratefulness and dishonouring shown towards food, Ameer-e-Ahl-e-Sunnat دَامَـتْ بَـرَكَـاتُـهُـمُ الْـعَـالِـيَـهْ states: ‘Today, which house is void of the ungratefulness and dishonouring shown towards food? Whether it be the millionaire who lives in a mansion or the labourer who lives in a hut, a lack of care is seen in matters of sustenance. In weddings, many different types of foods are wasted. In the home, broth and grains of rice are washed down the sink. If only we could develop the will to not waste food.’